premiums because they won't be able to once the new federal healthcare law takes effect. >> if this 25% rate hike was to go into effect after the federal mandate to buy health insurance was in effect there would be congressional hearings overnight. >> reporter: so he says insurers are trying to get their rate hikes in under the radar while they are still unregulated. anthem is proposing a 17.5% rate hike white aetna proposes an increase of 19. kaiser wants to raise rates by 8% and united healthcare by 10. jan's insurer says, the rate adjustment is necessary to cover increasing medical costs but he disagrees. >> we're seeing health insurance rates going up 10 times faster than the rate of medical inflation. >> reporter: now, the rate hike proposals on the insurance commissioner's desk but he can't do much to stop them legally. but legislation on the 2014 ballot could change that. and force insurers to retroactively refund these rate hikes if they are deemed excessive. >> he doesn't have the power because the state senate and the assembly right now as of the law is right now have to give

of campaign ethics laws and misuse of funds stemming from adding abuse of a county issued -- from alleged abuse of a county issued credit card includes hotels, car rentals. in his first public statements on the allegations last tuesday, shirakawa blamed the media. >> i don't want you to be distracted by the political lynching that you read today and continue to read about. >> reporter: but it has been a distraction. >> there's a sirens and a blaring in the community right now right or wrong from perspective. >> reporter: one new area of focus are travel expenses. last april shirakawa reportedly billed taxpayers for his upgraded $560 a night hotel stay in washington, d.c. the night after his official itinerary had him flying home. and in 2009 he was seemingly in two places at once, attending a state conference in sacramento and charging taxpayers $95 for a working staff meeting at a downtown san jose restaurant. >> at the end of the day it's like a train wreck and it's time to get off the rails so he doesn't cause more pain. >> reporter: at at last week's board of supervisors meeting georg

to regulate them and they end up in our bodies. >> how a california law is contributing to the problem. >>> a 3,000-mile tribute to a life lost much too young. the message friends want people hear as they run coast to coast. ,, now, you're probably sittinn a pound of toxic chemicals.5 consumerwatch reporter julie watts explains one of those >>> if you are sitting on/couch you're probably sitting on a pound of toxic chemicals. cbs 5 consumerwatch reporter julie watts explains one of those chemicals was banned decades ago. >> so in the '70s, every child in america was wearing pajamas that were like 10% by weight chemical. >> reporter: after she discovered the common flame retardant with a carcinogen actually changed dna public outrage prompted 9 chemical industry to remove it from children's clothing. but the same chemical is in your couch. in order it comply with a 1970s california flammability regulation every couch sold in california contains chemical flame retardants but a joint study released out of uc- berkeley and duke found 94% of couches nationwide also contain the chemicals. >

individuals who don't trust government who don't trust law enforcement. and i don't know how we can ever convince them. >> reporter: the public protection committee is expected to hold a public hearing sometime in january to take up the issue of drones. if the committee approved the drones it would go back to the board of supervisors for final approval. in berkeley, ann notarangelo, cbs 5. >>> as for u.s. drones over the middle east, the navy says it's not missing any. iran claims to have captured an unmanned america aircraft over the persian gulf and showed it off on tv. the u.s. government denies it. >>> a bipartisan group of governors met with the president and congress to make a deal on the "fiscal cliff." they could lose funding if there's not a plan to stop automatic cuts. the dow was down 14 closing below 13,000. the nasdaq was down 5.5 points. the s&p 500 lost 2. >>> it's pay back time for a bay area politician accused of using his procurement card like a personal slush fund. santa clara county board president george shirakawa has been ordered to immediately repay nearly $13,000

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